Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

14 January 2022 / 11 Jamadilakhir 1443H

Faith and Patience

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam

Let us continue to strengthen our taqwa of Allah by being patient in the face of life’s tests and challenges. May Allah grant us His pleasure and mercy for the patience we embody. Amin.

Brothers and sisters,

Our faith will not increase merely through having good intentions and positive thinking. However, we can increase and strengthen our faith by putting in continuous effort to perform good deeds, as well as being resilient and patient in facing life’s challenges. The reality is that this life requires us to exercise patience. In fact, patience is required for all aspects of our lives. From religious matters as well as in going through our daily activities. In explaining what it means to be patient, our scholars have divided patience into three categories.

Firstly: Patience in obeying Allah’s commands. There are times when we feel tired or lazy to carry out our religious obligations. In order to remain steadfast to our obligations, patience is required.

Secondly: Patience in avoiding His prohibitions. Our desires may push us into committing immoralities, or to engage in meaningless activities. Standing strong against such temptations would require patience.

Thirdly: Patience in accepting the decree of Allah (s.w.t.). There may be times when faced with various challenges and tests in life, we may question why we are going through such an experience, and what sins we have committed which have caused us to be tested in such a manner.

Brothers and sisters,

Patience is such an important virtue in our lives, and it is mentioned multiple times in the Quran.

Allah (s.w.t.) says:

Which means: “O you who believe, seek help through patience and prayer. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient.” (Al-Baqarah: 153)

Allah (s.w.t.) says in another verse:

Which means: “Whatever you have will end, and whatever is with Allah is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward, according to the best of what they used to do.” (An-Nahl: 96)

As our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) also said: “Whoever makes the effort to constantly be patient, Allah will grant him the virtue of patience. And there is no better blessing for a person than that of patience.” (Hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari)

Brothers and sisters,

Even though we are required to stay strong and remain patient in facing life’s challenges, we cannot deny ourselves the need to express our sadness and relieve the pain we feel in our hearts. Should someone openly express their grief or pain, it is not a sign that the person is weak or has given up. Rather, that is their effort to remain strong while facing life’s challenges. Through expressing what they feel in their hearts, they will be able to receive feedback and advice that may be useful to guide them.

In fact, it is recorded in the Quran several stories of prophets who expressed their sadness to Allah (s.w.t.). For example, the stories of Prophet Ya’qub, Prophet Ayyub, Prophet Musa, and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). Each of them faced their own personal and individual challenges. However, none of them ever gave up on Allah (s.w.t.).

Observe the story of Prophet Musa in surah al-Kahf, verse 62, which means: “After they had passed through the place, Musa said to his servant, ‘Please bring us our breakfast, as we are indeed fatigued from our journey.’” According to scholars, this story shows that it is not wrong to express feelings of tiredness while carrying out a certain task. It is also not indicative of an ungrateful attitude. Rather, it is natural for humans to express their feelings. 

The same goes for us too. In dealing with life’s challenges, we must constantly pray to Allah to be granted a way out of those difficulties, and to be granted peace in our hearts. Other than praying and making supplications, there are times when we may feel the need to talk to other people about the challenges we are experiencing. This does not contradict the state of having patience, because it is natural for humans to seek moral support from others. However, we must be wary of oversharing our problems on the internet. Oversharing may invite unhelpful comments from strangers, which will not help to ease our situations. Rather, such comments may even increase our burdens, expose our faults, and spark some form of misrepresentation.

Brothers and sisters,

As we are constantly faced with uncertain situations, we must therefore remain patient and continue to think well of Allah (s.w.t.). There is certainly a silver lining in every difficulty that comes our way. If we need to share any of our problems or issues that we are facing, please do so with your family members or close friends. In that manner, may our burdens be eased, and we continue to feel positive.

May Allah grant us the virtue of patience to carry out all our responsibilities on this earth. Amin. Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَ لَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم

 

 

 

Second Sermon

 

الْحَمْدُ للهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا كَمَا أَمَرَ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا عِبَادَ الله، اِتَّقُوا اللهَ تَعَالَى فِيمَا أَمَرَ، وَانتَهُوا عَمَّا نَهَاكُم عَنْهُ وَزَجَرَ.

أَلَا صَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ الْمُصْطَفَى، فَقَدْ أَمَرَنَا اللهُ بِذَلِكَ حَيْثُ قَال فِي كِتَابِهِ الْعَزِيزِ: إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَـا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَ بَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ.

وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ المَهْدِيِّينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيِّ، وَعَن بَقِيَّةِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالقَرَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ، وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ، وَعَنَّا مَعَهُم وَفِيهِم بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وَالمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ، الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنهُم وَالْأَمْوَاتِ. اللَّهُمَّ ادْفَعْ عَنَّا الْبَلَاءَ وَالوَبَاءَ وَالزَّلَازِلَ وَالْمِحَنَ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، عَن بَلَدِنَا خَاصَّةً، وَسَائِرِ الْبُلْدَانِ عَامَّةً، يَارَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.

عِبَادَ اللهِ، إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ، وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ، فَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُمْ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ، وَاللهُ  يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ.